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I saw that I last posted right around a million days ago (yeesh) I have a good excuse, mostly because I hate getting vomit on my keyboard and since this baby started growing that’s about all I seem to be able to manage lately…making it to the toilet. But that said, there has been so much going on at the farm that I finally sat down this morning and decided I might as well give a quick update on filbert (hazelnut) harvest.

Last year it was a muddy mess, it was one of those years when you see the rain start to fall and you jokingly think that maybe it won’t ever stop. And then weeks later, the joke is over and it actually never stops. So this year, having more typical fall weather, a little sun and wind, some good rains, then a little sun and wind, did us well for a nice harvest. A dusty….but better than mud harvest!!

Unfortunately due to the weather this past year the yields were down quite a bit, and it’s always hard to end the year on a down harvest.

I did do a Facebook live video from the seat of my harvester on one of the last days we were out in the orchard. Please excuse all technical difficulties…my video skills are rusty at best!
You can check it out here.

And since farming is often a family affair, here are a few pictures of me with our boys while they rode along.

I do have a lot to catch you all up on, I think we harvested about 4 crops, baby #3 is growing rapidly, as are the crops that we have planted for the 2018 harvest. So I’m hoping to do some catching up in the weeks to come. Hope you all have a great Friday!!

Like this:

Between farming and family-ing, blogging has taken a pretty big backseat the past few weeks. It’s been a lot of harvesting like this….and this…And looking at fields waiting to be harvested like this green bean field….And fields that are done for the year and are taking a break before starting to grow again for harvest 2018 like this perennial ryegrass field…

All with a little fun “Eclipse-ing” thrown in…

But what has probably kept me the most out of sorts, distracted, exhausted, not to mention puking, and excited all at the same time is this…I’d like you to meet baby Frketich #3! Due March 29th, 2018!!!

As of today we have been harvesting for 19 days. Just to give you a small taste of what that means…

In 19 days we have worked just under 1500 man hours on the farm.

We have seen 19 sunrises matched up to 19 sunsets.

We have harvested all the crimson clover, all of the peas, half the green beans, all the tall fescue seed, and half of the perennial ryegrass.

We have had a few successes and some failures.

We have eaten dinner out in the field 17 times. And the 2 nights we were at home eating, we still ended up in the field hanging out afterward.

I have made 122 meals for our crew and family.

Our boys have spent over 25 hours in the seat of a combine or tractor.

Hoot has asked about 75 million times to get back in the seat of the combine or tractor.

We have had 7 harvester plugs, 3 minor hiccups and two fairly extensive breakdowns.

We have had 18 friends and family members come to say hi out in the dusty fields.

We have had exactly one day off. Well except for my husband Matt, because plants don’t stop needing things just because it’s Sunday.

We have 7 crops left to harvest.

There are 5 amazing people who help take care of our boys during our crazy harvest hours! It takes a village here on the farm raising these crops and kids!

We are thankful for great employees, hard workers, good weather, and patience.

This is what it looks like to get food onto tables. Lots of long exhausting days and nights, hard work, sweat, frustration, cussing, laughing and cold beer. We are tired and worn out…but in the end we still wouldn’t trade this life for anything else. This is why we call farming a way of life more than a job, and at the same time one you can hang your hat on. Happy harvesting!!